1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the field of aviation, and specifically to an Automated Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) navigation device that can be mounted on the exterior or an aircraft.
2. Description of the Related Art
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the national aviation authority in the United States with the authority to regulate and oversee all aspects of American civil aviation, has mandated the use of ADS-B Out by Jan. 1, 2020. ADS-B is the implementation of the FAA's Next Generation Air Transportation System, or “NextGen”, a system designed to replace the aging and limited radar-based system currently used by air traffic controllers to track aircraft in controlled airspace.
ADS-B is an aircraft and satellite-based transmission system. It can be broken down into two main functions: ADS-B Out and ADS-B In.
An aircraft with ADS-B Out will transmit its position (derived from a certified GPS source) and its velocity to other aircraft, and Air Traffic Control (ATC) ground stations using an ADS-B modified Mode S transponder or a Universal Access Transceiver (UAT).
An aircraft with ADS-B In can receive information from other aircraft transmitting ADS-B information, and can also receive traffic and weather information, which will be broadcast for free.
The FAA ADS-B mandate currently requires only ADS-B Out be implemented in operation aircraft by Jan. 1, 2020. ADS-B In is currently considered optional for aircraft, and it not included in the 2020 FAA mandate. Many countries outside the United States already have an existing, in-force mandate for ADS-B equipped aircraft, or have a deadline for implementation well before 2020.
The installation of an ADS-B system on an aircraft is typically best done by a qualified avionics shop and is not easily done by an A&P (Aircraft and Powerplant) mechanic or other personnel. Given the number of aircraft currently in operation, and based on the number of avionics shops that are available to do the work, it may not be possible for all aircraft which need ADS-B Out installations on time to meet the mandated deadline of Jan. 1, 2020. There are a large number of A&P mechanics in the country, relative to the number of avionics shops, but it is more involved to have an A&P mechanic install a complex avionics system. An A&P mechanic, however, readily installs antennas on the outside of the aircraft and performs other aircraft maintenance tasks.
What is needed in the art is an ADS-B system that has been designed such that it can be mounted easily by an A&P mechanic or other available personnel, and which reduces the cost and complexity from existing ADS-B systems.